Cal Raleigh came off the bench to deliver a walk-off single, giving the Seattle Mariners a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees on March 31. Raleigh, who had been in a slump at the start of the season and was not in the starting lineup, hit a one-out single down the line that allowed Leo Rivas to score from third base.
The win comes at an important time for both Raleigh and the Mariners. After struggling early in the season and returning from limited play in the World Baseball Classic, Raleigh’s performance could help him regain his form.
Raleigh spoke about his recent challenges, saying, “It’ll be OK. I know a lot of guys in that locker room, a lot of people across the league, are fighting the same thing. Guys are trying to find timing. And it’s under a microscope more so now than it is in the middle of the season.” He began this season with just two hits in sixteen at-bats and eleven strikeouts, including striking out as a pinch-hitter earlier in Monday’s game.
His struggles followed minimal playing time for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic and difficulties maintaining his usual batting routine due to shared facilities. Despite these setbacks, he worked on getting extra at-bats during Spring Training upon returning from international play.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson said that giving Raleigh some rest was part of managing his workload: “The depth in our lineup, that certainly does help,” Wilson said. “And being able to not have to rely on him all the time for the DH spot too is great. And so I think this is an opportunity where it made a lot of sense today.” Last year saw similar management strategies as Raleigh played nearly every game but still delivered strong performances late into postseason play.
Looking ahead, with veteran Mitch Garver backing up behind home plate this year—at Raleigh’s request—the team plans for more regular rest days for their catcher while relying on key moments like Monday’s win when needed.
